Most redheads experience pain differently than the rest of us. Their hair color is caused by a mutation in the skin’s melanocortin-1 receptor gene, which may “inadvertently activate” similar receptors in the brain that process anxiety and pain, says Anthony G. Doufas of the Outcomes Research Consortium of clinical Anesthesiologists. Anecdotal evidence long held that…

Chewing gum is often responsible for headaches in young children and teenagers, say researchers in the January issue of Pediatric Neurology. A research team led by Nathan Watemberg, MD, chairman of the Child Development Institute and the Child Neurology Unit at Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, Israel, which is affiliated with Tel Aviv University…

Parents should use a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste to brush baby teeth twice daily as soon as they erupt, instead of waiting until children are older, according to new guidelines by the American Dental Association. That advice overturns the A.D.A.’s decades-old recommendation to start using a pea-size amount at 24 months. Once children are…

Hi Denise, I’m writing to let you know that you won our Reader’s Choice poll for Best Pediatric Dentist! All of the winners will be announced in our July “Best Of” issue. If you have any questions about the voting or if you’d like to place an ad, please let me know. Congratulations! Thanks! Tyler…

With two thirds of the country battling weight problems, putting our children on the path to a healthy diet has never been more important. Yet it can be a constant war of wills with kids. Here are some tips on raising healthy eaters. Give peace a chance: don’t use coercion, the goal should be to…

The Oregon Dental Assoication created this new public service announcement.It’s a one-minute 17-second hip hop video set to the tune of “Teach Me How to Dougie” by Cali Swag District. Do a Google search for “Teach Me How to Brushy” to view.

A recent study published by the American Journal of Public Health found a link between poor oral health and school performance. The researchers matched the children’s oral health status to their academic achievement and attendance records. The study, scheduled to be published in the American Journal of Public Health, found children who reported having recent…